


This Is How We Rise Up

by Loeily



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Disorder, Aromantic Natasha Romanov, Art as coping mechanism, Artist Steve Rogers, Asexual Sam Wilson, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Deaf Clint Barton, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nerd Bucky Barnes, Pansexual Bucky Barnes, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sam Has Issues, Sam loves gardening, Sassy Steve Rogers, Slow Build, Steve Has Issues, recovery fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9225233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loeily/pseuds/Loeily
Summary: "You insult my calm and non destructive hobbies, I can't believe that. Next time I see you near my house I'll tell at you to get off my lawn. See if some paparazzi won't make fun of you after that""You're hilarious Sam. I can do non destructive too."***In which three ex-soldiers recover, Sam gardens, Steve re discover art and Bucky ask all the wrong (right) questions.A recovery fic with fluff, sass and friendship.





	

Steve used to love art. He loved drawing and painting with coffee on napkins, he loved chalk and watercolor.  
His eyesight wasn't the best but he was able to reproduce colours on paper in a way that was quite close to reality. Maybe a tad too bright.  
He could, and most of the time would spend hours drawing everything and everyone around him. Well everyone was mostly Bucky and then the USO girls, the Howlies and Peggy.  
  
But the keyword is "used to". Not in the sense that he no longer loves art. He still loves it. But in a more contemplative way. He enjoy other peoples art but don't feel the need to draw.  
Maybe it had to do with the bright new future he woke up in. Maybe it's the loss. He isn't sure anymore.  
After the ice, it's not something he gives much thought.  
  
It's actually Sam that point it out. Somewhere in Ireland after 2 months tailing Bucky without much success. They were talking about Sam's passion for gardening, of all thing.  
  
"Well man, I wouldn't have bought a house with a garden if it wasn't my thing."  
  
"Yeah I guess you would have hated trimming those wild bushes otherwise"  
  
"Don't insult my beautiful bushes Rogers. They are sensitive."  
  
"More like you are sensitive."  
  
They were back in the motel room they had rented for the night and quite tired after another fruitless day of search. And petty fight always was one of Steve's way to blow out some steam when a gym wasn't an option. It had  
earned him some nasty comments from Bucky back in Europe when he fought with one of the howlies.  
Thank god, Sam understood and was almost as bad as him. As long as it stayed friendly teasing it was fine.  
  
"You insult my calm and non destructive hobbies, I can't believe that. Next time I see you near my house I'll tell at you to get off my lawn. See if some paparazzi won't make fun of you after that"  
  
"You're hilarious Sam. I can do non destructive too." And that was the truth after all. He enjoyed reading and generally catching up on 70 years of pop culture. Maybe the Twilight incident had been destructive. But it was before he met Sam. And Sam sure didn't need to know about that one.  
  
"I know. Though— wait. I think I saw on a book or something that you did art right ? You made charcoal sketches and all that stuff ?"  
  
It was rare enough of Sam to mention how much Steve's past life was public knowledge. And how much of this "knowledge" was in fact false or used only for some politic agenda. What's better than saying "but look Captain America did it" to get people to listen to you ?  
  
This one fact though was true. And since it was Sam he swallowed back his initial harsh reply —more like a 10 min rant on how wrong were most of the assumptions people had— and gave it a thought.  
  
"I... used to draw, yes. Paint a bit... couldn't do photography with how expensive of a pastime it would have been"  
  
"I haven't seen you draw. Not even once, dropped it ?"  
  
"Yeah I don't know why... I just don't feel like it. And I'm mostly busy. Haven't tried since I woke up. I don't know what answer to give you... really. It's funny cause I even went to art school."  
Steve bent his head looking at a point past Sam's elbow. His face almost void of emotions. If not for the brightness of his eyes and the soft trembling of his voice.  
  
"Really ? I didn't know that. NYU ?"  
  
"Haha nothing that fancy ! But yeah. Went one year. Bucky paid for it actually. I was so mad at him. This idiot could have studied something he loved but he kept saying that I should be the one to do what I wanted. That I was made for bigger things."  
  
After a charged silence Steve spoke again "I miss him you know. I really hope we find him. I can't—"  
  
"We will find him Steve. We will" said Sam. Putting a hand on Steve's shoulder.  
  
And after that the subject of art and Steve was not mentioned for a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

> I am not a native English speaker and have no beta so some grammatical error, typos, etc are to be expected. Feel free to point out any mistake !  
> This is my first work published here too. Thanks for reading and have a nice day !  
> Tags and rating may change


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